Game apparatus



NOV. 11, 1941. KOLTS I 2,262,241

GAME APPARATUS Filed Jan. 11, 1940 By 45 @0052. M

J/fornzys Patented Nov. 11, 1941 GAME APPARATUS Tennies F. Kolts, Chicago, Ill., assignor, by mesne assignments, to John A. Russell, Chicago, Ill.

Application January 11, 1940, Serial No. 313,365

2 Claims.

This invention relates to game apparatus and particularly to game apparatus of the so-called pin and marble game type.

In game apparatus of the character referred to above, it is quite common, at the present time, to employ a number of so-called Spring bumpers which are swingingly or pendantly mounted at preselected points upon the ball-playing or upper surface of the inclined playing board of the game apparatus so that a ball traveling thereover may engage one or more of these so-called spring bumpers which, in turn, by its movement may engage a second member or contact so as to energize circuit to a relay or relays for the purpose of operating a score-registering device or other game instrumentality which may be associated with or embodied in the game apparatus.

A spring bumper of the character referred to above is disclosed in the Nelson patent, No. 2,109,678, dated March 1, 1938, and to which reference may be had for a more detailed disclosure of the function and purpose of a so-called spring bumper of the character referred to above.

An object of the present invention is to provide a so-called spring bumper which, while accomplishing the same general objects and purposes of the spring bumper which forms the subject matter of the aforesaid Nelson patent, No. 2,109,678, embodies a different construction for so doing and does so in a somewhat different manner.

Other and further objects of the present invention will be apparent from the following description and claims and are illustrated in the accompanying drawing which, by way of illustration, shows a preferred embodiment and the prin ciple thereof and what I now consider to be the best mode in which I have contemplated applying that principle. Other embodiments of the invention embodying the same or equivalent principle may be used and structural changes may be made as desired by those skilled in the art without departing from the present invention and the purview of the appended claims.

In the drawing,

Fig. l is an elevational view of a so-called spring bumper embodying the present invention, this view also illustrating diagrammatically a typical circuit in which the spring bumper may be incorporated;

Fig. 2 is a central vertical sectional view of the spring bumper construction which is illustrated in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view thereof on line 33 in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a view, partly in section and partly in side elevation, illustrating a modified form of construction of the present invention; and

Fig. 5 is a view on line 5-5 in Fig. 4, partly in section and partly in top plan.

A preferred form of the new so-called spring bumper construction is illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive, of the drawing, wherein it is generally indicated at Ill, and is shown as being mounted upon the upper or ball-playing surface of the inclined playing board ll of a so-called pin and marble game apparatus, only part of which is illustrated in the drawing.

The new spring bumper construction It] includes a coil spring 12 which is arranged around, but is normally spaced from, a small metallic cylinder l3 which is mounted in upright position on the board II; the cylinder I3 being made of any suitable metal and being preferably coated on the outer surface thereof with silver to prevent arcing, as will be referred to again hereinafter.

The metal cylinder I3 is secured in position of use upon the board 1 l by means of an electrically conductive fastening element in the form of a metal bolt or binding post M which extends upwardly through an opening 5 which is formed in the board It. The bolt l4 extends centrally upwardly through an opening 23 which is formed in the bottom wall 24 of the cylinder l3 and this bolt M has a threaded upper end portion 36 on which an ornamental member or cap I1 is mounted. The member is preferably formed of a brightly colored resinous material so as to form an ornamental cover or cap for the metal cylinder l3 and the coil spring [2, as shown.

The lowermost or bottom convolution 18 of the coil spring 42 is secured to the upper end portion of a binding post or screw is which is mounted in the board II, and the binding post or bolt M and the binding post I9, together with the coil spring 12 and the metal cylinder H, are all arranged in an electrical circuit 23 which includes a source of energy 2| and a relay or other analogous device 22 which may operate a score-registering device or other game instrumentality which may be associated with or embodied in the game apparatus which includes the inclined playing board II but which is not shown. It is to be noted, in this connection, that the bolt M is in electrical contact with the metal cylinder 13 where it passes through the aperture 23 in the bottom wall 24 of the metal cylinder l3.

In the use of the new spring bumper construction which is illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive,

if a ball traveling over the upper or ball-playing surface of the inclined playing board ll engages the coil spring l2 it will cause the latter to flex, fromthe lower end portion I8 thereof, inwardly, that is, radially inwardly, and engage the wall of the metal cylinder l3, thereby completing the circuit 20 so as to energize the relay or other device 22 and thus actuate the score-registering device or other game instrumentalityassociated therewith or controlled thereby. It will be noted, in this connection, that arcing at the point of contact between the coil spring [2 and the metal cylinder l3 may be prevented by silvering the outer surface of the metal cylinder I3.

It will be noted, in this connection, that the coil spring I2 is fastened, that is to say, is mounted in position of use at, and flexes from, its lower end, rather than being pendantly mounted from the ornamental cap H, as in the Nelson patent, referred to above, and that in the present invention the cap I1 is purely ornamental and in no way pendantly or otherwise supports or suspends the coil spring I2 as in the construction which forms the subject matter of the Nelson patent referred to. v

A modified form of the present invention is illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5 of the drawing and in this form of construction parts which corre- 'spond, in general, to similar parts in the form of the invention which is illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive, are given the same reference numerals followed by the letter a.

The modified form of construction which is illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5 is, in general, similar to the form of construction which is illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive, but differs therefrom by omitting the metal cylinder l3 and forming the uppermost convolution of the coil spring in in a relatively small loop 25 which is adapted to engage or contact the central binding post or bolt Ma so as to complete a circuit, such as 2|, when a ball traveling over the upperor ball-playing surface of the inclined playing board I la engages the coil spring 12a, causing the latter to flex from the lower end 19a thereof, into contact with the fastening element or binding post Ma.

It will be noted, in this connection, that in order to facilitate flexing of the coil spring [2a and contact of the latter with the binding post I la, the lowermost convolution I9a of the latter is mounted radially within the periphery of the coil spring (Fig. 4) rather than radially outwardly thereof as in the form of the invention which is illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive, although the two methods illustrated for mounting the coil spring may be used alternatively.

Among the other advantages of the novel bumper structure are the fact that no special insulating bushings are required about the central post It. or Ma, nor about the other post l9 or I9a; and moreover the fact that the large shell l3 affords a very rigid mounting for the entire post and cap structure and the cylindrical contact member. A further advantage resides in the fact that in those instances where an electric.

lamp is to be mounted to illuminate the bumper when struck by a ball, said lamp being in a control circuit energized by the ball strikingv the,

for illumination by said lamp. Further, the assembly of the structure is simplified by virtue of the fact that insulating bushings are not required and inexpensive parts are used-particularly with respect to the posts I4 and I9, which may be ordinary bolts. Moreover, electrical connection is at once established between the shell and the central post in the assembling operation and the location of the central shell is accurately effected automatically upon the mounting of the cap member and the rigidity of the structure will retain the cylinder and post in its original position. Also the spring I2 may be conveniently adjusted in spaced relation to the large metal shell when mounted on the board.

While I have illustrated and described selected embodiments of my invention it is to be understood that these are capable of variation and modification and I therefore do not wish to be limited to the precise details set forth but desire to avail myself of such changes and alterations as fall within the scope of the following claims.

I claim: V I

1. A spring bumper switch adapted for mounting on a ball-rolling surface and comprising: a conductive post seated at its lower end in said surface and projecting above the latter, a metallic shell of greater internal diameter than said post and mounted concentrically of the latter upon said surface, and a cap member engaged by the upper end of said post and clamped against the upper end of said shell to hold the latter securely against said surface, means providing a conductive electrical connection between said post and shell, and a bumper spring of greater diameter than said shell and mounted concentrically of the latter with its convolutions normally in spaced electrical relationship to said shell, said spring having a lower-end portion secured on said surface and adapted for connection in a circuit in which said post is connected, said spring being adapted to be engaged by a ball on said surface and moved into electrical contact with said shell to close said circuit.

2. A spring bumper adapted for mounting on a ball-rolling surface and including a conductive post mounted at its lowerend on said surface to extend above the latter, a cylindrical metallic shell mounted at its lower end on said surface concentrically of said post and of considerably larger diameter than the latter, the lower end of said shell having integral metallic portions extending into electroconductive engagement with said post, the upper end of said post being screw threaded, and a cap member clamped against the upper end of said shell by screw threaded engagement with said upper end of the post whereby to urge the shell firmly against said surface, and a helical metallic spring of greater diameter than said shell mounted concentrically of the latter with its lower end secured at said surface and its upper end extending to a point adjacent said cap with said convolutions in spaced electrical relationship with respect to the shell and adapted to be urged into conductive relationship with the shell upon contact of a ball with said spring, said lower end of the spring and said post being adapted for connection in a circuit to be closed by engagement of the spring with the shell as aforesaid.

TENNIES F. KOLTS. 

